1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to clevis hangers for supporting cable, conduit and/or pipe from a ceiling or other overhead support structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conduit installed along ceilings and the like is often supported by a series of clevis hangers connected to support rods hanging downward from the ceiling. Each clevis hanger typically includes a lower U-shaped hanger member that supports the conduit and an upper hanger member that connects the clevis hanger to the support rod. The lower and upper hanger members feature arms that include openings. The openings, when horizontally aligned, receive a fastener to connect the two members together.
In one method of assembling the clevis hanger and installing the conduit, the lower U-shaped hanger member is fitted onto the conduit and raised with the conduit above an installer's head to mate with the upper hanger member, which is already connected to the support rod. Due to the poor lighting conditions and unfavorable positioning of the installer with respect to the clevis hanger, it is usually difficult for the installer to align the openings of the lower and upper hanger members so that the fastener may be easily inserted through the openings to connect the two members together.
In another installation method, the lower hanger member is connected to the upper hanger member and the clevis hanger assembly is connected to the support rod. The conduit then is fed through the clevis hanger. Since the lower hanger member is typically free to rotate about a longitudinal axis extending through the fastener, the conduit often causes the lower hanger member to rotate in the direction that the conduit is being fed as the conduit contacts the lower hanger member. This is particularly a problem when a conduit is fed through the clevis hanger at an angle from a location below the clevis hanger. As the lower hanger member rotates away from its conduit supporting position, the opening through which the conduit is fed is reduced, thus making it difficult to push the conduit through the clevis hanger without manually holding the lower hanger member in its conduit supporting position. Furthermore, as the conduit is fed through the clevis hanger, rotation of the lower hanger member causes a sharp outer edge of the lower hanger member to scrape against the conduit. The scraping of the outer edge of the lower hanger member along the conduit as it is fed through the clevis hanger not only damages a conduit formed from a plastic material, it makes installation more difficult and puts additional stress on the support rod. The rotation of the lower member also makes adjustment of the clevis hanger to support a conduit at a specific height and angle difficult due to the variability in height caused by the angled position of the lower hanger member.